


to all the boys: the one who was your escape

by goldentongues



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst if u squint, Gen, Matsukawa Issei in Love, cute fluff, to all the boys inspired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:35:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28584333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldentongues/pseuds/goldentongues
Summary: one night was all it took for you to fall in love with him. one night was all it took for the both of you to fall in love with each other again.
Relationships: Matsukawa Issei/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	1. finding bonnie

**Author's Note:**

> cross-posted from my tumblr @ichorizaki, a server collab of the babythots

> Dear _Clyde_ ,
> 
> “People may hate us together, but they can’t stop us.” Remember that?
> 
> That single night we spent together was arguably one of the best nights of my life. I mean, never have I ever thought I’d meet a guy so spontaneous enough to propose to a sad, pathetic me that we’d be partners in crime for one night. If I were to be honest? Normal me wouldn’t have done it. Probably would have thought you were a creep. And scared that knowing actual me, you’d be disappointed. But the moment you said we weren’t ourselves for that night, we would just be the people we want to be, you had me. I will never forget the way you made me feel that night. I felt wild and free and… myself. Despite us hiding who we really were from each other, I personally think we’ve never been ourselves more than we have in that moment. Funny, right? When I didn’t even know you at all before that. Call it a gut feeling, maybe. 
> 
> You know, sometimes I regret it, not telling each other more about ourselves. Other times I catch myself wishing I would run into you again. It’s just… I’ve never met anyone so easy to talk to, so easy to be who I am around. You can argue that it may not really be you, it may have just been the persona you donned that night. Instinct tells me you weren’t being fake, though. I don’t know what kind of person you truly are, but I loved the guy I saw that night. The guy underneath that tough exterior. I like that guy. But maybe the beauty of it lies in the fact that we only knew each other that one night. Maybe that’s what kept me thinking of you until now. I can’t help but wonder… if we met again, would that illusion shatter? Or would I learn that what I thought was just an illusion is actually also reality? Either way, there’s one thing I know.
> 
> You’re my ride or die.
> 
> Sincerely,  
> Your _Bonnie_

* * *

When Issei Issei first got the letter, he was carrying the heavy boxes of his belongings and unloading them into his car. The sun was at its apex in the sky, rays spread out across the azure blue and dancing through the almost-autumn breeze. His muscles bulged underneath the old shirt he was wearing, sweat prickling at the back of his neck and itching his sun kissed skin. He was leaning against the trunk of his car, wiping off the sweat forming at his hairline with the back of his hand. A refrigerated Red Bull cooled the palm of his left hand, cap unopened when his little sister walked out of the door with an emerald envelope in her hand.

“What’s this?” He murmured, eyes locked on the envelope as she stuck it out to him. Issei then looked at his sister who only shrugged wordlessly in return. He took it and flipped it over to see the characters of his name written in silver glitter ink with a handwriting he couldn’t quite recognise. It was neat, the strokes heavy and he could see how careful the writer was. Perhaps they didn’t want to mess up his name, which was something he found himself smiling at.

“You know who wrote it?” His sister climbed the hood of his trunk, sitting next to him with her legs crossed under her. He glanced over at her briefly before shaking his head no. “Well, open it then! I’ve never heard you talk about a secret admirer before, dude.”

“Idiot,” he rolled his eyes. Truth be told, he was rather nervous about who it was. There was a certain familiarity to that foreign envelope, sealed so neatly and the colour so curious. Different people ran through his head throughout his three years of high school. None of them seemed to fill the shadow of the person who sent him this letter.

Issei was careful with the way he edged the seal apart. In his large hands, the envelope seemed so small and frail. He tried his best not to tear the envelope apart. For some reason, he would be upset if he did. A parchment of white paper was nestled within its confines, waiting for him to open it up and read it.

The second he read the first few words, a grin bloomed upon his usually stoic face. And he just couldn’t stop grinning. His shoulders shook as his hand fell to his lap, clutching the letter and envelope in hand, chuckling in disbelief.

“What is it? Is it a prank from Makki?” She put her phone down, trying to figure out why her older brother was chuckling to himself like a madman. “If it’s yes, say the word and he’s gone.”

“Shut up, you little smurf.” He reached over to flick her forehead gently. She simply made a face in response, faking pain with a grumble. “It’s not Makki. Just let me finish the damned letter.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

It was from you. The Bonnie to his Clyde; the sun to his moon. Of course it was from you; who _else_ could it be from? Nobody else made sense. It was you and it was enough to send his heart skipping a beat.

Even when he was done reading, he couldn’t help but re-read the letter over and over again. He didn’t think you’d felt that way, and he certainly didn’t think that he found himself wanting just a little bit more than what you both had that night. He remembered the night just like it was yesterday, his favourite bits and pieces rolling like a film in his mind, the ghost of your voice sweet like honey whenever you laughed or spoke or cried your heart out. It was just one night but it felt like half of the eternity he wanted to spend with you.

“Oi,” he called for his sister, who looked up from her phone, humming response. His eyes couldn’t help but fall to the screen to see a picture of you and your younger sister on an Instagram page. “Wait, hold up, who’s that on your screen?”

“Huh?” She looked at him like he’d grown two more heads and a tail. She brought her phone up and tinkered around for a bit before answering him, “It’s my friend’s crush.”

“Your friend has a crush on a college freshman?”

“What?! Don’t be crazy, dumbass! She has a crush on their little sister!” He eyed her suspiciously, hands folding the letter and keeping it inside its designated envelope before tucking it protectively in his back pocket. She punched his arm at his teasing, obviously flustered.

“Just making sure.” He shrugged dismissively. “Why are _you_ flustered, weirdo?”

She let out a loud groan and flipped him off, cursing him with all of the profanities she’d learn in her very short sixteen years of her life. Obviously tickled by her reaction, laughter bubbled from his throat. He was going to miss teasing her in person. Campus was over two hours away and he knew that he would be busy with class. Calls would be more frequent . . . or not. He knew she wouldn’t pick up a phone call even if her favourite celebrity was phoning her.

“Hey, send me their Instagram,” he requested.

“Of the _little sister_?”

“Of the _older sibling_ , you fucking _heathen_!” It was his turn to be flustered, his cheeks flushing a deep maroon and her cackling reverberated through the neighbourhood. Their mother shouted at the two from inside of the home he’s spent the past eighteen years of his life in. The two siblings turned to each other, silent, before bursting into giggles and laughter that could barely be contained.

Eventually, they had to part ways when their mother appeared at the door with what seemed to be enough food to feed the entire volleyball team, telling the younger Issei to go back and complete her homework instead of disturbing her older brother. With a whine and heavy grumbling she retreats but not before turning back and flipping him off once again behind their mother’s back. The corner of his lips quirked upwards into a smirk. His sister sure was a handful.

“Issei.” She almost met his height from the way he was leaning against his car. Gently, she placed the wrapped containers of food on the hood before raising her hands to cup his face. They’d barely said a word to each other but he could already see the tears in her eyes. He softly sighed, a sad smile gracing his lips as his hands wrapped around her wrists. “My son, all grown up.” It was all she could manage before choking on her tears.

His heart hurt when he pulled her close to hug her. His head spun when he realised that he won’t be able to hug her like this every morning before he went to school. He found himself holding her tighter as she sobbed into his shoulder, praising him for being such a good role model for his little sister, praising him for being such a good son, praising him for the lessons she’s taught him as a mother. The tears were hot, pricking the corners of his eyes and the weight of realisation that he’ll be away from his family sat on him like a heavy storm cloud, robbing him of his ability to breathe.

“I’ll miss you, Ma,” he sniffled, swallowing his tears. Issei let his mother pull away, her hands leaving his cheeks to wipe her tears away before putting on a brave smile for him. He leaned down and gave her one final kiss to her forehead, letting his lips linger on her wrinkling skin before pulling away.

“Don’t cause too much trouble, yeah?” She wiped away the snot on her nose. “We both know how you and Makki-kun have a penchant for mischief. I don’t know whether it’s a blessing or a curse that you and that damn boy ended up in university together.” He wiped away his own tears, cheeks hurting from grinning and chuckling while his lips quivered ever so slightly. He caught his bottom lip between his teeth to force himself to stop crying while his mother wept.

“Take care of Pa and that brat we– _ow!_ Mama, what was that for?”

“This boy!” She pinched his ear teasingly, laughing with him until she heard the window open from his sister’s room. She looked like she was about to say something until she spotted their mother and immediately went back inside and slammed the windows shut. He shook his head, chuckling while his mother eventually let him go. They cried a little bit more and hugged it out a little more until it was time for him to take his leave.

With the letter secured in the bag of packed bentos, safely strapped to the passenger seat, he drove off into the horizon. The long journey seemed like such a drag with nothing but the humming of the air conditioning and the car engine. Even in the broad daylight, he couldn’t help but wish it was dark in the late hours of the evening with you in the passenger seat, windows rolled down and music blasting through the stereo but your laughter and your talking were the music to his ears.

At the first red light he increased the volume of his music until he couldn’t hear your laughter in the passenger seat of his empty car. But even then, the lingering ghost of a whisper of your voice haunted him. He doesn’t even know when he would be seeing you again.

> _“Hey, Clyde?” Your voice was gentle and quiet, just as it was at the start of the night. Crickets sang their song with the melody of nature accompanying their tune, the metal of his car suddenly so cold underneath you both and behind your backs._
> 
> _“Hm?” Suddenly he became aware of the way you were pressed up against his chest, your body settled in between his legs, his chin resting on the top of your head with his arms wrapped loosely around you. He was just in his deep green henley while you wore the grey hoodie he had brought along with him, the sleeves long enough to give you sweater paws. If only he could see you, bathing in the moonlight. He relished in your scent—coconuts and springfield, with just the slightest hint of strawberry—like it’s the last time he’d ever get a taste of the bewitching concoction, because for all he knew, it could be._
> 
> _“Do you believe in fate?” Issei’s shoulders tensed from the question. He felt your hands find his, fingers intertwining with one another before placing them on your laps. The action alone felt as natural as breathing._
> 
> _“Do I believe in fate?” He echoed, his voice low and silent as if not wanting to disrupt the peaceful tranquility of the hilltop they sat on. You hummed softly in response, squeezing your delicate fingers around his calloused, volleyball-worn ones. Your hands were silk against the linen of his, petals against rocks. “Maybe if we meet again, I will.”_

Issei found himself tugging at the strings of fate. He found himself wishing to see you in the corridors when he registered himself into his dorm building. He found himself wishing to hear your laugh in the middle of the courtyard among the other freshmen. He found himself yearning for even the slightest piece of you until he felt his phone buzz in the pocket of his jeans.

Fishing his phone out of his pocket, he realised it was a notification from his sister. It was an Instagram direct message and all of a sudden his heart started to race. He recalled the request that he had made no longer than five hours ago, suddenly feeling heat creep up his neck. Issei quickly spotted the fountain in the middle of the courtyard and sat down among the students. He was certain he had to sit down or else he wouldn’t be able to contain himself.

Unlocking his screen, he waited for the message to load on his screen. It took just half a second too long and he silently cursed at his phone, flicking at the screen like it was a bug until your Instagram page appeared on his screen. A short gasp was caught in his throat. He found you. _He found his Bonnie._

Iwaizumi’s handle didn’t go unnoticed at the bottom of your bio. _So he follows you too, huh?_ What a small world. He saw Oikawa’s handle too, as well as Hanamaki’s, but to what extent were their relationships with you? He knew that Oikawa was a simpleton—he would follow anyone who has a stunning Instagram feed, ‘for the aesthetics’, he would claim—so obviously it would be no use to pry. Hanamaki on the other hand, was a proud member of Team Follow Back. You were probably just the attractive person he came across while mindlessly scrolling and decided to press the follow button.

Staring at the screen, he couldn’t help but ask himself: should _he_ press the follow button?

His thumb hovered over the button. His eyes scanned over your profile once again, in awe at how cleanly messy your feed was. It was an organised mess. There were pictures of you and your friends, you and your pets, storefronts you found stunning, alleyways, you falling asleep on your desk in school . . . it all told him your life. Your Instagram page was more than enough to tell him about you, how you stayed up late at night watching anime and listening to songs, how you loved to sit at home and unwind with your pets, how you were more than what he expected you to be that night. You are everything he’s ever wanted. 

He quickly scrolled back up to the top of your profile to see the multi-coloured ring around your profile picture. Curious, he tapped on it and the first thing he saw was the entrance to the university. The same damn university he was attending. What were the _fucking_ odds?

Issei tapped through and he felt his heart soar with every upload until he was brought back to your page. Oh, was he on Cloud 9! He couldn’t help the smile on his face that was threatening to break out into a grin. People might stare at him like he was a madman but he didn’t care. He found you, his Bonnie, and that’s all that mattered.

> _“What do you mean_ ‘if’ _?” You scoffed, releasing one of your hands from his and twisting your body so you could flick him on the forehead. His low chuckles rumbled deep in his chest when he took the hand that flicked his forehead and intertwined your fingers with him once again. His body dwarfed yours so easily that he found it painfully adorable._
> 
> _“I hate to say it, angel,” he hummed. “I live all the way across the city. I’ll drive you around there for a bit if you’d like. I think it’d be a damn miracle if we saw each other again after today.”_

And good lord was it a miracle to see you after so long. Your nose was just the slightest shade of red that matched your cheeks and the colour of your sneakers. You had your earphones plugged into your ears, tuning the world out with music as the both of you did that night in March. Your bookbag was slung over your shoulder, laptop bag clutched close to your chest.

He had been following you for a week through your Instagram stories. He didn’t know if you checked who had viewed your stories but he didn’t care. His profile was private so even if you wanted to snoop around, you wouldn’t know it was him (and he would be way too embarrassed should you DM him out of the blue).

It was well-nigh the afternoon, sun blazing against the cool autumn breeze. You had just ended your first lecture of the day and it was two weeks into university life. He had so many opportunities to walk up to you with the slightly crumpled letter in his hand, tucked neatly into its emerald envelope and hopefully sway you off your feet, but the time just never felt right. Even then, as he stared at your figure quickly walking, undisturbed and completely at peace even with the havoc of the bustling university grounds, he couldn’t help but feel compelled to walk over and re-introduce himself.

His feet, however, were faster than his brain. Before he could comprehend what was happening, he was walking over to you and you were closer. You were closer to him than the past couple of weeks when he tried to plan his introduction behind his phone screen. You were closer to him and he wanted to make sure you were no longer sand slipping through his fingers.

‘ _Other times I catch myself wishing I would run into you again._ ’ He recalled your words in the love letter he’s memorised. Now your wish was going to come true, with his arm outstretched and reaching for your shoulder. Time slowed down when you turned around, your lovely doe-like eyes looking so confused and surprised as you searched his face which bravely sported a smug smirk.

He watched as your jaw dropped in shock, yanking your earpieces out of your ears. Your lips gaped open and close like a fish out of water, sputtering air, at a loss of words. Truth be told, he was way more nervous than he appeared. His heart was stammering in his chest and he was sure he forgot how to breathe. The sun was but golden flecks in your e/c eyes, bewonderment shining through the colours of your eyes.

“Hey, Bonnie.” The corner of his lip curled upward into a lazy lopsided grin. Now was his chance to woo you and sweep you off of your feet. Or perhaps, he could bring up the letter and make you flustered. He _did_ have it sitting in his back pocket, after all.

“How . . . How did you find me?”

“I guess life has its ways, angel,” he winked. You scoffed and smacked his chest playfully. He could see the slightest hint of pink in your cheeks and now he was sure it was not the cold _or_ the lovely coral blush you’d put on your face. “What’s this about fallin’ head over heels for me, huh?”

Issei reached behind his back before waving the envelope in your cute face. The second you registered what he was waving, what sounded like a surprised squeak came from you and you grabbed onto his wrist to stop the movement.

“Where did you . . .” Your words got lost in the air as you watched him and he hoped that it was out of wonder and yearning with the way you were looking at him. He simply withdrew his hand to pretend to inspect the envelope.

“It doesn’t matter.” He pockets the envelope. “I believe in fate now.”

He watched as your eyes grew wide, finding amusement in the way your cheeks burned red and puffed out. It was apparent to him that you remembered the fateful and eventful night some months ago in the distant sparkle of your eyes and the way the corner of your lips tugged upwards into a small smile of disbelief.

> _“_ When _we meet again,” you corrected him. “Let’s re-introduce ourselves. Maybe go on a date if fate wills it.”_
> 
> _“You’re already asking me out, sweetheart?” He grinned, nose gently nudging the crown of your scalp before pressing an open-mouthed kiss against your hair. He could tell how flustered you were by his observation of your words, so he decided to carry on the conversation. “I’m definitely taking you out on a date if we see each other again, and of course, if you’d let me, babycakes.”_

“I’m Matsukawa Issei,” he thrusts his free hand out for a handshake. “I’m studying Psychology, freshman.” Your smile and gaze faltered at the small pinch of a smirk on his face. Did you think he would forget? How could he? After that night, he was left wanting more and more. How could he pass up the golden opportunity to ask you out?

You took his hand in yours. You took a deep breath, your chest rising and shoulders squaring before staring him straight in the eye. The words that tumbled from your mouth were woven and ingrained in his brain, forever to be kept. He finally had your name. What you studied didn’t matter to him that much. All he wanted was your name and his heart _soared_ at the way your name rolled off of your lips.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, L/N,” he smiled. A breath. “Will you go on a date with me?”

You were struggling to fight off the smile, adamant on looking a little disappointed that it took the both of you too long to find each other. Truth be told, you had always found your way into his mind ever since that night. No matter how hard he tried, you were always there. Now he didn’t need to keep searching or hope that you’d find your way back in his mind, because you were right there in front of him, the smile finally breaking free as giddy giggles bubbled up in your throat.

“I never thought you’d ask, Clyde.”


	2. sun&moon

> _With this hand, I will lift your sorrows._

When he saw how comfortably you dressed, as he had instructed you to, Issei couldn’t help but find you a little too adorable in the same shirt that you wore on the night when you first met. It had been a week since he had asked you out on a date. Because of schedules, you couldn’t quite agree on a date that would be perfect for the both of you. He made it up to you with walking you to and from classes, facetiming you whenever you were not in class and just learning with each other even if what was being taught were completely different. He didn’t care if you both had to push back the date for days—spending time with you, carving time out of your busy schedules were more than enough for him.

He had a morning lecture and a noon tutorial that lasted about two hours, and then he was done for the day. You, on the other hand, usually had a morning lecture and about three hours to spare before having a four-hour seminar in the afternoon that dragged on to the evening. _Usually_. Your excited voice was the first thing he heard in the morning through a voice message, a lazy smile growing on his face as he lay in bed, which then turned into a smile of excitement once he registered your words: your professor didn’t feel like turning up and classes were cancelled for the afternoon.

There you stood before him, hair messy but your skin glowing from a good rest. He figured you were asleep while he was in class and all the way through till an hour ago from your lack of texts. While you were clad in a pair of sweatpants and the white shirt with a ketchup stain from the night you met, he was dressed in a maroon henley and ripped jeans.

“Is it just me or are you dressed less comfortably than I am?” You cocked an eyebrow upward, walking towards his figure that leaned against the side of his car, phone in hand with his keyring looped through his thick pinky finger. The corner of his lips tugged upwards into a lazy smile, his head tilting to the side in amusement. “Did I miss a memo or something?”

Issei stuffs his phone into his pocket and gently kicks himself off of his car to meet you halfway. He wrapped his arms around your smaller figure as did yours around his before you cutely buried your face in his chest to inhale his scent. Your shampoo smelled like coconuts and mixed berries and he couldn’t help but smile at that.

“I just wanted you to be comfortable for our date, angel.” You looked up at him through your lashes, chin resting on his chest and his heart fluttered at how close you both were. Neither of you went beyond hugging and knuckles brushing against each other’s shyly. He winked at you and the telltale sign of a blush began creeping across your cheeks.

“Where are we headed to?”

“Anywhere you’d like to.” You let go of him, looking at him curiously. He simply shrugged before guiding you to his car. He had no time to send it in for a wash for such an impromptu date, but the interior was cleaned up and washed with the scent of his cologne to make it appear cleaner. “We knew the deepest parts of each other that night, but I wanna know the simple stuff about you. Like what’s your birthday, what’s your favourite food, what kinda stuff you look for in a potential boyfriend, and whatnot.” He opened the door for you and your lower lip was caught between your teeth in a toothy grin full of adoration.

“Right, like those and whatnot,” you echoed. He helped you into the passenger seat, making sure you were neatly tucked inside before closing the door firmly. All that he had managed to learn about taking someone out on a date were from the Korean romantic comedies that his sister made him watch with her. He just hoped that it sufficed because it was mainly heterosexual couples.

You did make him nervous. He had to mentally reprimand himself to get a grip and keep his cool when he rounded the car before getting into the driver’s seat right next to you. You had already made yourself comfortable, flip flops on the floor and your knees up to your chest and nestling in your seat. The way your skin glowed under the honey-coloured lights of the streetlamps, clear silver bleeding through and illuminating your stunning face was simply something out of a movie. You did make him nervous, but he was never going to admit it out loud.

“So,” he began, catching the faintest of a tremor in his voice. _Shit_. He cleared his throat while buckling himself to his seat but then noticed that you weren’t wearing the seatbelt. Naturally, he unbuckled his seatbelt before reaching over to tuck you into the seat, pressing the end into its compartment next to your waist. It was all second nature to him, which was why when he caught himself in the action, he continued and finished the job before leaning back with a bashful smile on his face. “Sorry.”

“No!” You quickly blurted out. Issei’s smile changed into an amused smirk. He watched as the pink blooms red instead across your cheeks. “I . . . _ugh_. Issei, you’re always making me so flustered.” You grumbled in defeat under your breath, nose upturned and head swiveling away to avoid his gaze. He was sure you were just trying to hide your blushing face.

“Aww, don’t be like that, angelface,” he cooed. “C’mon, where d’ya wanna go? McDonald’s, Yoshinoya, CoCoICHI?” The engine of his car hummed to life with the sharp turn of the key in the ignition. His eyes shifted from the rear-view and wing mirrors, checking for any pedestrians and cars. The sun had set long ago yet there were still students roaming the campus, most of them coming back from classes or making quick trips to the 7-11 down the road.

“Let’s have McDonald’s. I’m craving for some fries.” He hummed at your suggestion. “We could eat in the car—on the topmost level of a parking lot or some park, I dunno—and listen to music and watch the night sky.” His heart fluttered at your suggestion. It was his first ideal date, described by you, just as he did to you on the night you both first met. His eyes flit over to you to see you already looking back at him, a huge cheeky grin on your face as if to proudly tell him that you never forgot.

He never fought the smile that crept upon his face, lower lips caught between his teeth as he stepped on the gas pedal.

“Aww, Issei, are you smiling? Did I make Matsukawa Issei _smile_?” You teased, giddy giggles slipping in between your words while you pinched his arm as he drove. He rolled his eyes at your antics, shaking his head at how enthusiastic you were. Could he blame you? He was just as excited as you are—he just wasn’t so willing to express that openly. “What are the vibes for today, Sei?”

His thick dark eyebrow quirked upward at the new nickname. Sei? It was the first time he’s been given such a nickname, but he wasn’t necessarily complaining. Maybe it was in the way that you said his name that has him so intoxicated, like your voice was the only thing that was keeping him together. His stunned silence you must have mistaken for discomfort, because you were suddenly apologising for calling him Sei and that you should’ve asked first and—

“Hey,” he softly interrupted you. “You can call me Sei. You’ll be the only one calling me that.” His eyes briefly left the road to look at you and he noticed the way your lips pursed out into a cute little pout.

“Eyes on the road . . .” He ignored you, lifting his hand from the steering wheel to give you a gentle pet on the top of your head. You were so flustered that it was just _too_ adorable!

“And today’s vibes will be decided by you, baby.”

Issei heard a tiny grumble that he couldn’t quite decipher from you. He all but chuckled gently. Tonight was going to be spectacular and it was all thanks to you. He was finally taking the person of his dreams out on a date. He knew that it probably wouldn’t be any different than that night, but he didn’t care. Time spent with you was golden and he would never take it for granted ever again.

> _Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine._

When you first let it slip that you had sent more than one letter, you had expected Issei to be upset. He, too, expected himself to be upset. But for some reason, as the both of you sat on the couch of your living room, he couldn’t. He should be, but he wasn’t, and it confused him, especially knowing that a number of his friends had also received the same letter.

Maybe it was your reasoning—that you fell too hard a little too fast—and he couldn’t blame you for that. He couldn’t control who you fell for, nor could he control your feelings.

The both of you had your legs tangled with each other, his slightly hairier legs that you had always insisted on shaving tickling the skin of yours. You both faced each other seated on the couch, you with a book in hand and him just mindlessly scrolling through the Netflix catalogue to see what was in store. It was the first day of spring break, the scent of freshly blooming flowers dancing in the air as were the birds and bees.

He noticed the way you avoided his gaze, chin tucked into your chest, the page that sat in between the pads of your thumb and index finger shaking ever so slightly as you ran your two fingers up and down. You were nervous. He didn’t blame you for it.

Issei swallowed a deep breath. Using your tangled feet as leverage, he pulled you towards him, your body lurching forward until you fell square into his laps. He had his eyes on your face, watching for any signs of discomfort before continuing.

“Did you kiss any of the other recipients of the letters?”

“What– no!” You fervently shook your head. His hands were firmly planted on your waist, yours on his chest and fisting at the fabric of his shirt.

“Do you love me?”

“Matsukawa Issei, of _course_ I love you.” The fervour in your eyes, the drop in your voice and the sternness of your whisper told him that what you said was indeed true, and that was more than enough.

“You love me, and I love you. That’s enough.” The corner of his lips tugged upwards into a lazy smile. He noticed the crystalline barrier over your stunning (e/c) eyes, stray (h/c) strands framing your beautiful face. “May I kiss you?” You nodded, squeezing your eyes shut and his heart fluttered at how cute you were.

He finally presses his lips to yours and he could tell the desperation from you to tell him that you love him and nobody else. Your hands travelled up his chest and to the back of his neck, the action alone sending shivers up his spine as you toyed with his dark hair at the base of his scalp. One hand gently moved up from your waist to your jaw, gently cradling your smaller form while he leaned back against the armrest he was propped up against. His tongue swiped along your lower lip, the muscle hot and wet, and he took you by surprise by gently nibbling on it instead of letting his tongue explore your mouth before pressing another kiss to your sweet lips.

He brushed the strands of your hair away from your face when he slowly pulled away, finding pleasure in the way you chased his lips for more. Your faces were both merely inches apart, foreheads pressed against each other and hot breaths gently fanning against cheeks. The way you constantly looked at his lips longingly, tongue swiping across your own and your lips jutting out into a pout, had him wanting to kiss you again but he had to stop himself from doing so.

“My eyes are up here, angel,” he teased. The pad of his thumb and his index finger cradles your chin, gently coaxing you to look at him directly. You flushed under his gaze, squirming cutely in his laps. “Listen, I can’t control who you fell for. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little jealous, but that’s as far as it goes, okay? You love me and I love you, and that’s all that I care about.”

You melted under his gaze, shoulders slumping. Your lips pursed together and twisted to the side, a small habit that you do whenever you realise he’s right but you can’t help but feel guilty. He smiled, hoping that you would too.

“Plus, I’ve had my fair share of crushes too, you know.” He shifted so that he was seated upright and you were still on his laps. Issei felt his cheeks and the tip of his ears flush ever so slightly, suddenly aware of the fact that your gaze was upon him, twinkling with intrigue. With the intent to make you feel better and less guilty about yourself, he told you about some of his old crushes. His first celebrity crush, his first elementary school crush, the cute barista at that café in his old neighbourhood that he only saw for a week . . he told you that your feelings for the other recipients were valid and reminded you yet again that even despite that, as long as you love him as he loves you, there’s genuinely nothing wrong with that.

> _With this candle, I will light your way into darkness._

When the organ sang its first note, he turned to look at you from where he stood. There you were, walking down the aisle with a bouquet of your favourite flowers. Your face was obscured by a white lace veil that you insisted on wearing, the ensemble that you had on fitting your figure seamlessly. Yours was the colour of pure white, detailed with lace and gold, and it matched his own suit of white, his tie a satiny gold and his collars sporting lace.

Issei couldn’t help the tears from falling, teeth digging into the flesh of his lower lip as he watched you walk slowly, the heels of your chosen shoes clicking against the thinly carpeted marble tiles. His tears clouded his vision, a stunning vibrato of colours as the music filled his ears. He still couldn’t believe that you said yes to spending the rest of your life with him even after being engaged for over two years because of your grad studies.

He wiped his tears away with the sleeve of his blazer. He heard a disapproving _tsk_ from over his shoulder, knowing all too well that it was from Hanamaki Takahiro. Once his vision cleared, he found you right before him, lifting the veil from your face and letting it fall over the back of your head and _oh_ , how _beautiful_ you are. Nothing in his vocabulary could ever fully encapsulate the true beauty that is you.

Your hands moved to grasp his firmly and he was thinking of nothing but you and how you’re finally going to bear his name with yours. You were ethereal underneath the midsummer morning sun, stained glass painting you in luminescent colours and casting a breathtaking glow upon you. He couldn’t see anyone and anything else but you. The officiant’s words fell on deaf ears—he didn’t hear what she was saying. He didn’t hear the snickering from his best men, either.

> _With this ring, I shall ask you to be mine._

“Issei.” Of course you were the one to snap him out of his haze.

“Sorry,” he cleared his throat. It was agonising to him how he had to tear his gaze from you. He just wanted to keep staring at you and admiring you, but that’s okay. After the wedding, he could do that all he wanted. He didn’t care about the other parts. “What was that again?”

Laughter erupted in the small town church.

The officiant smiled, obviously amused by the two young newlywed-to-bes. She repeated herself once more, her grey eyes reading off the book in her wrinkly hands. He was impatient, toes curling underneath the suffocating leather of the rented Oxford shoes he was forced to wear. If it were up to him, he would have worn his everyday Vans.

He had nearly forgotten all of his vows, stuttering and losing himself in his thoughts halfway through his sentences. He was a complete mess compared to you, who giggled and laughed but encouraged him nonetheless to finish before you did the same. You were far more eloquent and prepared than he was, being the one in charge of organisation and stuff like that in your relationship. He had expected you to hide a piece of paper with your vows among the flowers and it didn’t surprise him when you did pull out a small roll within the petals.

“L/N Y/N.” Her voice boomed, demanding for his attention once again. “Do you take Matsukawa Issei to be your spouse?”

“I do.” Could your smile get any brighter? Because he _swore_ he saw it glimmer.

“Matsukawa Issei.” She continued, “Do you take L/N Y/N to be your spouse?”

“Fuck, _yes_. Please just announce us as spouses, I wanna kiss Y/N already.”

“I _am_ getting to it. _If_ you’d just let me–”

He couldn’t wait. Oh, no he couldn’t. Issei’s hand, now proudly boasting a wedding ring, moved to cradle your jaw as the other found its home on your waist, pulling your body flush to his. The second your lips met, it was like the first time he’d kissed you—full of sparks, sending butterflies in his stomach a-fluttering and so full of love. He heard the cheers and claps from the guests seated; his family, his friends, as were yours, all beyond happy that the both of you had found your forever in each other.

When he finally pulled away, your arms looped around his neck and resting on his shoulders, you pouted.

“Another one, please, my spouse?” _Fuck_ , did he love hearing that from you. Who was he to deny you of that? He was absolutely, irrevocably, unapologetically in love with you—first his Bonnie, then his sun, and now his forever. His lips found yours once again, sealing your fate into the stars and the heavens. From the one who was your escape, to the one whom you’re escaping with.


End file.
